Home   /   Constituent Services / Page Program

The United States House of Representatives Page Program appoints high school juniors to provide administrative support to House operations at the United States Capitol in Washington, DC. Prospective House pages may be nominated by their representative. At this time, there are 72 page positions, and Republican Members of Congress appoint 46 of these young men and women.

Pages serve in one of four terms: a five-month fall semester (September-January), a five-month spring semester (January-June), or a three-to-four week summer session. Applicants for the school year sessions must be at least 16 years of age at the time of service, be in their junior year of high school, and have a cumulative GPA of a ‘B’ average or better. Applicants for the summer program must also be at least 16 years of age at the time of service, have a GPA of a ‘B’ average or better, and be willing to serve for approximately one month during the summer before or after their junior year of high school. The definition of a ‘B’ average is a 3.0 on a 4 point scale, or an 85 or better on a 100 point scale.

Candidates must submit an official high school transcript to verify the cumulative GPA requirements. Only grades in the following subjects will be counted: English, science, mathematics, social studies and foreign language. Electives will not be counted. Additionally, applicants must provide a resume of extracurricular activities, Social Security number, signed parental consent form, a 50 to 100 word essay on why they want to be a Republican page, three letters of recommendation, and a letter of support from their sponsoring Republican Member of Congress. As a general rule, only one nominee is permitted per Member of Congress, except for party leadership.

House pages live at the Page Residence Hall on 501 First Street. The pages agree in writing to abide by a strict Code of Conduct which includes a curfew of 10 PM on weeknights and 12 midnight on Friday and Saturday, and are supervised by a resident manager and five proctors who reside on the premises. There are separate floors for males and females, and each floor has a community room with a television and a microwave. The triple rooms are furnished with twin beds, night stands, dressers, desks and chairs. Each room has a large walk-in closet, a study area, telephone, a small refrigerator, private bathroom, and air conditioning. Pages also have access to a laundry room in the basement.

The dress requirement for males is a navy blazer, long-sleeved white shirt, dark grey slacks, black socks, black shoes, and the standard-issue tie. The requirement for females is a navy blazer, long-sleeved white blouse, dark grey non-slit skirt or dark grey pants, black shoes, neutral, black or navy hose, and the standard-issue tie. Women’s accessories must be white, navy or grey. Pages walk almost 20 miles a day, and page alumni advise wearing comfortable shoes. Backpacks are prohibited, thus page alumni suggest large purses for women to carry books and other items.

Pages work an average of 40 hours per week, and are paid approximately $1236.33 gross per month, with an automatic deduction of $400 to pay for the cost of the dorm and five dinners weekly. Pages are responsible for transportation to and from Washington, their uniform (with the exception of the standard-issue tie), breakfast and lunch on weekdays, weekend meals, school supplies, and other expenses. Additionally, a one-time refundable deposit of $100 is required for the dorm.

During the school year, House pages attend the House Page School in the Library of Congress from 6:45 am, with five 40-minute classes. Pages are typically dismissed from school at about 11:30 unless the House convenes earlier than noon, in which case the school day is condensed. Pages are also required to participate in Washington Seminars, which are trips around Washington followed by an activity. Five courses are selected from the following curriculum: American, British or World Literature, or Humanities; Algebra II/Trig, Trigonometry/Pre-Calc, or Pre-Calculus; Physics or Chemistry; US History of Government and Politics; and Intermediate or Advanced French or Spanish. First-year language courses are not available nor are Advanced Placement classes.

The workday begins immediately after the end of the last class or 9:00 AM for summer pages, and extends to at least 5:00 PM. If the House is in session later than 5:00 PM, pages continue working. The pages serve primarily as messengers delivering legislative material between the various buildings of Capitol Hill. During the course of the day, pages accumulate points for deliveries, and those with the most points may be excused early when the House goes into late-night sessions.

Pages are provided Capitol ID badges which allow them to access sensitive areas such as the floor of the House and the House Intelligence Committee room, and gain an intimate knowledge of the Capitol surpassed only by the Capitol Police. Noteworthy pages may be assigned to long-term page posts with the Speaker, in the Cloakroom,or as a documentarian.

Pages with the United States House of Representatives are provided with a unique opportunity to live in Washington DC and gain extraordinary first-hand experience with the legislative process. For more information about the Congressional Page Program or to request an application, call our Washington, DC office at (202) 225-3915 and ask for the Page Program Coordinator.


Biography | News Center | Issues | Constituent Services | Photo Album | Legislation & Committees | Kids Page | Email Chris | Home | Privacy Statement